Klein Oak defeats Klein, heads to bi-district round

Klein Oak sophomore Allie Saville works at the plate against Memorial during their Katy ISD Softball Invitational matchup at Morton Ranch High School on Feb. 14, 2019.

Photo: Jerry Baker/Contributor

Klein Oak needed some help to set up a play-in game with Klein for the final playoff spot in District 15-6A.

Then they helped themselves to a playoff-clinching victory Friday.

The Panthers scored five runs in the first inning and led by 10 runs twice before finally holding off the Bearkats for a 13-10 win at Klein Cain that secured their fifth consecutive postseason appearance.

"We beat them in the first round, and they came back and beat us the second round, and so going into it, the way the girls' mindset was (after they beat Cain and Klein lost to College Park on Thursday to set up the fourth-place tiebreaker), I knew we had a chance," Klein Oak coach Barry Wilson said.

"At one point, we thought we didn't have any chance to get in, so I'm so proud of these girls. They battled their tails off."

Klein Oak (19-11) will face Spring in the bi-district playoffs next week.

Wilson expected to meet with Spring coach Julie Wyrick later Friday to work out the details of a likely best-of-three series.

The Lions are three-time reigning undefeated district champions.

"They're district champs, so they're no pushovers," Wilson said. "They're well-coached, Julie Wyrick does a great job over there, so it's going to be a great series."

The Bearkats were no pushovers either.

After falling behind 10-0 in the third inning and 12-2 in the fifth, they kept their season alive with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by Cade Baker hitting a leadoff double and a three-run triple to pull within 12-9 in the inning. They sent 13 batters to the plate and had six hits.

Baker also scored twice in the fifth, with her second run making it 12-10.

"That's a good ballclub over there," Wilson said. "We had them down 10-0 and they came back and came back, but my girls never quit.

"That was awesome."

Wilson pulled starting pitcher Eryn Sanchez in the fifth, trying to stymie the Bearkats, but when Angel Cochran was unable to sit any of the five batters she faced, Sanchez came back for the final out.

Sanchez also threw the final two innings to pick up the prolific win, which the Panthers secured on a sweet double play by shortstop Paige Hulsey, who caught a line drive off the bat of Alex Castro, then threw to first before Chayni Eldridge, who reached on a walk, could safely retreat.

"That was nails," Wilson said.

Klein Oak's five-run first included four doubles, three off Klein starter Mak Cutbirth, who recorded only one out. Sanchez and Avery Krulczyk hit run-scoring doubles, and Lacy Ornelas hit a two-run double.

The Panthers scored five more in the third, which included two more doubles, and two in the fifth for a 12-2 lead.

Leadoff hitter Bailey Eggleston went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs, Hulsey went 3-for-5, and Allie Saville finished 2-for-3 with two sacrifice flies and five RBIs as the Panthers racked up 13 hits.

Callie Baker went 2-for-4 with a two-run triple for Klein.

"They did a great job early on, getting the ball in play, moving baserunners and scoring runs," Wilson said.